CRIME and anti-social behaviour has shot up in Coventry city centre since the council scrapped its wardens team, a crime reduction boss claims.

Ruling Conservative councillors pushed through changes to neighbourhood warden patrols citywide – including losing the five city centre wardens – in January, despite warnings from opposition councillors and the city centre’s top cop.

The row has now been re-ignited by comments from Trevor Pepper, crime reductions operations manager for city centre management company CV One.

He says crime figures show anti-social behaviour has been rising since the yellow-jacket warden patrols were taken off city centre streets.

He said: “There has been an increase in anti-social behaviour overall in the city centre since the loss of the city centre warden team.

“CV One does not have the staff to deal with these types of issues. A lot could be done with four wardens dedicated to the city centre/ Gosford Street area, addressing these issues and turning round the increase in anti social behaviour in these areas.”

Labour councillor Jim O’Boyle, whose St Michael’s ward includes the city centre, said Lady Herbert’s Garden had become another problem area, where, over 12 months, CV One recorded 105 complaints and police received 35 calls about litter, people drinking and sleeping rough in the garden, noise, verbal abuse, and couples having sex in public.

Coun O’Boyle said “I warned this would happen. This decision has stretched police and CV One resources leaving problem people and problem areas in the centre unchallenged.

“This proves CV One does not have the staff to cover the work the wardens did previously.”

The re-organisation of warden patrols citywide, which meant reducing the team from 75 to 56, produced £173,000 savings.

A newly trained team of eight neighbourhood impact officers, still to be implemented, would be responsible for covering the whole city, but be drafted into the city centre at peak times on Saturdays, backed up by police community support officers.

The plan met with objections from top cop Chief Superintendent Steven Glover, who warned police would be overstretched.

Anti-social behaviour under control, say Tories

LEADING Conservative councillors insist anti-social behaviour in the city centre is under control.

Councillor Andrew Williams, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and community safety, said: “Coun O’Boyle clearly does not understand the role of wardens or how anti-social behaviour is dealt with.

“The safer neighbourhood group for the city centre is aware of the problems and work together to target those causing trouble.

“Coun O’Boyle is also apparently unaware that neighbourhood wardens from the Hillfields team do a daily walk-through of Lady Herbert’s Gardens and the neighbourhood policing team have this area identified as a priority, regularly providing visible patrols.”